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Loyalties tend to go out with the window when you’re staring down the barrel of a 22-year prison term.

Frank Russo, who had previously stipulated in his plea deal that he would not testify against others in the government’s Cuyahoga County corruption cases, changed his tune yesterday. The new tune being that of a bird.

The Plain Dealer reports that Russo has given up the “snitches get stitches” mantra and will now testify against Jimmy Dimora and the rest of the Cuyahoga County Corruption All Stars. Russo seems to be angling for a lightened sentence, one four or five years shorter than the nearly 22 years he’s looking at now.

What does this flip-flop from Russo mean for Dimora and the gang? And what does this mean for Russo’s sentence? And how is Russo going to pay the ordered $7 million restitution?

This article appears in Dec 15-21, 2010.

Vince Grzegorek has been with Scene since 2007 and editor-in-chief since 2012. He previously worked at Discount Drug Mart and Texas Roadhouse.

6 replies on “Frank Russo Likely to Testify Against Jimmy Dimora”

  1. But, but, 1/2 year ago he said he was innocent! I…I’m…so confused!!! Frankie, oh Frankie, please say it ain’t so! Wait, I know, its Bush’s fault!! Yeah, and this magazine will soon be saying there ain’t no Easter Bunny either. Oh, the humanity!

  2. If you think that Frank is going to be turning himself in come May, 2011, think again. He will be long gone (it’ll be a big funeral) by then…and the feds will be looking stupid if they are expecting to get any testimony out of Franky. He’s getting his good byes in as we speak!!!

  3. Russo regrets that he strayed from the way he was brought up because he got caught. Russo and the rest of them are a bunch of money hungry felons who took advantage of their high positions to live a life to which they were not entitled. I wouldn’t cut Russo a deal. I would cut his throat.

    Rob Dean
    President
    Verdict King, Ltd.
    Cleveland

  5. “As for the $7 million in restitution, some of that money will come from other defendants”
    —————————————————————————————————————
    If Russo is the one ordered to pay, then WHY does this state cash will be coming from others too ?
    WHAT others as in WHO ?
    If I break a window and am ordered to pay for it’s replacement, is there a magical money monkey that will have to pony up also ?

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